Shoplifters on bikes punch store worker, pull her hair out during theft in Guelph

A store worker in Guelph who tried to stop two shoplifters from getting away with the goods was punched repeatedly in the face and had her hair pulled out before the pair fled the scene on bicycles, police say.

The violent incident unfolded this past Friday at around 7 p.m. when an employee of a Stone Road West business in the south end of the city spotted two females “removing tags from products and placing them in their bags,” Guelph Police said.

The worker then followed the culprits out of the store and confronted them about the stolen merchandise.

At that point, one of the shoplifters “struck the employee several times in the face and pulled out a clump of hair,” police said in a news release on Monday. “The employee’s glasses fell off during the altercation and were smashed” by the second culprit.

A customer then tried to help the employee and was also assaulted, police added.

Neither victim required medical assistance, according to police.

Investigators are now on the hunt for the two culprits, who fled the area on bicycles after the theft and assault.

The first is described as a white female with short dark hair. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a grey hoodie, black winter jacket, grey track pants, black-and-white shoes and a baseball cap. She was carrying a black Nike backpack.

The second is described as a white female with long purple hair. She was wearing a blue coat, black pants and carried a backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-824-1212, ext. 7553, or email [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.